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August 1, 2022
Back to School Bash serves about 1,500 people
By Jessica Nohealapa'ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Volunteers from all over the county joined forces to help give students a successful start to the 2022-23 school year. Approximately 675 students received backpacks full of school supplies, in addition to haircuts, vaccines, physicals and more during this year’s Back to School Bash, co-sponsored by Bandera ISD and the Hill Country Samaritans, and hosted by the Lakehills Community Center.
More than 2,000 water bottles, hundreds of freezer pops, hot dogs and chips, snow cones, popcorn bags, sausages on a stick, roasted corn, cotton candy, and more were given away in a festive, carnival setting. The five themed action areas were Wild Wild West, The Splash Zone, The Carnival, On the Farm, and Back to School Central.
“This has truly become a community celebration. We are thrilled to coordinate a platform through which so many are able to show kindness and build relationships with their neighbors across the county in a variety of ways. It is Hill Country Samaritans’ great joy to share Jesus’ love and light in this manner,” Communications and Hill Country Samaritans Back to School Bash Coordinator Kelly Beedle said.
Beedle estimates 1,300-1500 people were at the Bash this year, around 50 organizations were on site from around the county, more than 100 volunteers assisted on the day of the Bash, and about 50 more volunteers made preparations in the weeks leading up to it.
There was a fairly even attendance from Bandera, Pipe Creek and Lakehills, plus a handful from other areas, Beedle said, adding the event is held entirely through the generosity and provision of donations of time, talent and finances from across Bandera county.
“Thousands of acts of kindness and great conversations,” she said.
Later this month, the Hill Country Samaritans will provide backpacks and school supplies for the school-age children of the Arms of Hope/Medina Children’s Home of Medina ISD, and students at Utopia ISD, which extends from Uvalde County into Bandera County to serve a portion of Bandera County residents. Supply packs are also given by the Hill Country Samaritans to Bandera County’s three private schools: Vineyard of God, Pipe Creek Christian School and Vanguard.
This event was coordinated by the Hill Country Samaritans, a 501c3 faith-based non-profit, which has been in existence since 2018. The board and all of its members are volunteers, so each donation goes directly to fund the Back to School Bash.
Financial donations may be made through PayPal on the Hill Country Samaritans website (hillcountrysamaritans.org), and entire shopping packages and pledges are available for organizations and churches as well.
Donors for 2022 included:
More than 2,000 water bottles, hundreds of freezer pops, hot dogs and chips, snow cones, popcorn bags, sausages on a stick, roasted corn, cotton candy, and more were given away in a festive, carnival setting. The five themed action areas were Wild Wild West, The Splash Zone, The Carnival, On the Farm, and Back to School Central.
“This has truly become a community celebration. We are thrilled to coordinate a platform through which so many are able to show kindness and build relationships with their neighbors across the county in a variety of ways. It is Hill Country Samaritans’ great joy to share Jesus’ love and light in this manner,” Communications and Hill Country Samaritans Back to School Bash Coordinator Kelly Beedle said.
Beedle estimates 1,300-1500 people were at the Bash this year, around 50 organizations were on site from around the county, more than 100 volunteers assisted on the day of the Bash, and about 50 more volunteers made preparations in the weeks leading up to it.
There was a fairly even attendance from Bandera, Pipe Creek and Lakehills, plus a handful from other areas, Beedle said, adding the event is held entirely through the generosity and provision of donations of time, talent and finances from across Bandera county.
“Thousands of acts of kindness and great conversations,” she said.
Later this month, the Hill Country Samaritans will provide backpacks and school supplies for the school-age children of the Arms of Hope/Medina Children’s Home of Medina ISD, and students at Utopia ISD, which extends from Uvalde County into Bandera County to serve a portion of Bandera County residents. Supply packs are also given by the Hill Country Samaritans to Bandera County’s three private schools: Vineyard of God, Pipe Creek Christian School and Vanguard.
This event was coordinated by the Hill Country Samaritans, a 501c3 faith-based non-profit, which has been in existence since 2018. The board and all of its members are volunteers, so each donation goes directly to fund the Back to School Bash.
Financial donations may be made through PayPal on the Hill Country Samaritans website (hillcountrysamaritans.org), and entire shopping packages and pledges are available for organizations and churches as well.
Donors for 2022 included:
- Car Quest/Bandera Auto Parts
- Costco
- Bandera Auto Solutions
- Bandera Bank
- Bandera Chapter 643 Order of Eastern Star
- Bandera County Helping Hand Center
- Bandera County Republican Women PAC
- Bandera Lions Club
- BEC Charitable Foundation
- True Value Hardware
- Coconut Cove
- Day 1 Bags
- Hazel Homes
- HEB
- JMAC Septic Service
- Kiwanis Community Service Corporation
- Lakehills Baptist Church
- Lakehills United Methodist Church
- Lowe’s Market
- M2J Builders
- Main Street Tire & Automotive Service
- Painting & More
- Pipe Creek Presbyterian
- Propane Depot
- Sam’s
- Sanctus Ranch
- Silver Sage
- St Stanislaus Catholic Church
- St Victor Chapel
- Thrivent
- Vincent’s Automotive
- TXN Bank
- Western Title of Bandera
- And other private individuals